Stonebridge
'''Community Size and Description''' Home to approximately 423 citizens of which the vast majority (87%) are halfling. Humans make up the next largest racial demographic at 7%. '''Notable Locations''' '''Mayor''' [https://febria.wikia.com/wiki/Devun_Hopp?venotify=created Devun Hopp] '''Town Trade''' '''History''' While the actual town of Stonebridge is only 425 years old, the bridge the town is built atop is over 1200 years old. The bridge was constructed during the height of the Eastern Wars by a Dwarven military architect, Sigmund Colborn. The waters of the Nimerian River were well known to be fast and dangerous, drowning even experienced swimmers. With the weight of armor and weapons, the army had no choice but to take the extra time to construct a bridge both strong enough to hold garrisons and their mounts and also durable enough for future crossings. The project took just shy of 9 weeks to complete, an unprecedented speed at that time. Rumor holds that a combination of Sigmund's brilliance and slave labor made it possible to complete the project so quickly. After the bridge was completed, a small garrison of men was left behind to protect the bridge in case the army needed to make a speedy retreat. As fate would have it, the army was victorious and their territory expanded beyond the bridge. A permanent outpost was set up along the river's banks which remained operational until the decline of Coviel. By year 17 the outpost had been abandoned. The bridge was regularly used by travelers and merchants but it wasn't until 180 that it was settled once more by a tribe of halflings fleeing persecution. Due to its prime location on the river, it flourished early in its existence, but as other bridges were created along the river its importance rapidly dwindled until it became regarded as a backwoods, small village of little importance. The town is currently governed by Mayor Devun Hopp. Valentine Murders Thirteen years ago the quiet town of Stonebridge received an esteemed visitor- Lord Victor Valentine- who was staying in the tenement homes while he conducted some business with the Stonebridge Laborer’s Guild. Victor Valentine had a reputation as a bit of a partier and was known to throw ragers in his suite. He was quite handsome, too. He was a man accustomed to getting what he wanted when he wanted it and he had decided there was a fair maiden in particular he wanted: Susanna Lambe. She worked across the way from the tenement homes at Mckinney’s Tavern and Inn which allowed Valentine to watch her as she walked home every day. During one of the parties in Valentine’s suite, he approached Susanna and thickly laid on every ounce of charm he possessed. She quickly saw through Valentine's façade, though, and spurned each of his advances, citing his arrogance and selfish tendencies. She also found his personality to be quite dull. Valentine had never known rejection such as this. He was both excited and shocked. He became enamored by "the hunt." When Susanna stopped coming to his parties, Victor quit throwing them. He couldn't sleep; she had stolen his heart and he would have hers. He began to follow Susanna everywhere, day and night. He eventually took to wearing a goat mask in an attempt to hide his true identity. Susanna filed multiple reports with the City Watch that she had been followed by a figure on her walks home from the tavern. She pleaded for protection from a man with the twisted head of a goat lurking in the shadows. Guards accompanied her for a time, but it was impossible for them to be with her always. The City Watch found Susan's body in an alleyway near the local baker. It seems that Valentine got what he was after in the end. Her head was caved in by a club, her torso dissected with surgical precision. But Valentine had grown addicted to "the hunt" and could not stop. His streak continued with five other murders, all with one common theme: a missing heart. It didn’t take the watch long to put the pieces together and soon Victor was arrested and hung in the center square. While dozens saw Victor's body go limp, some say such an evil man doesn't leave this world that easily.